1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (太17:24; 太20:20; 可9:33; 路9:46)2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them3and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (诗131:2; 太5:19; 太19:14; 可10:15; 路18:17; 路22:32; 林前14:20; 彼前2:2)4Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (太18:3; 太20:27; 太23:11)5“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, (太10:40; 太10:42)6but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,[1] it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (可9:42; 路17:2; 林前8:12)
Temptations to Sin
7“Woe to the world for temptations to sin![2] For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! (太13:41; 太26:24; 路17:1; 林前11:19)8And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. (太5:29; 太25:41; 可9:43)9And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell[3] of fire. (太18:8)
The Parable of the Lost Sheep
10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.[4] (斯1:14; 诗34:7; 诗91:11; 太6:29; 太25:40; 太25:45; 路1:19; 路15:7; 路15:10; 徒12:15; 來1:14; 启8:2)12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? (太17:25; 太21:28; 路15:4)13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.14So it is not the will of my[5] Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. (约6:39; 约10:28; 约17:12)
If Your Brother Sins Against You
15“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (利19:17; 路17:3; 林前9:19; 帖后3:15; 多3:10; 雅5:19; 彼前3:1)16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (民35:30; 申19:15; 约8:17; 林后13:1; 提前5:19; 來10:28)17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (太5:46; 羅16:17; 林前5:4; 林前5:9; 林前6:1; 帖后3:6; 帖后3:14; 约二1:10)18Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed[6] in heaven. (太16:19; 约20:23)19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. (太7:7; 徒12:5; 徒12:12; 门1:22)20For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (太28:20; 约12:26; 约20:20; 约20:26; 徒4:30; 林前5:4)
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
21Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (太18:15; 路17:3; 西3:13)22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.23“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.[7] (太25:19)24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.[8] (斯3:9; 太25:15)25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. (出21:2; 利25:39; 王下4:1; 尼5:5; 路7:42)26So the servant[9] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ (太8:2; 徒10:25)27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. (太18:25)28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,[10] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ (太20:2; 太22:19; 可6:37; 可14:5; 路7:41; 路10:35; 约6:7)29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.32Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ (太6:12; 弗4:32; 西3:13; 约一4:11)34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,[11] until he should pay all his debt. (太5:25; 太18:30; 雅2:13)35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (箴21:13; 太6:15; 羅6:17; 彼前1:22)